Print finishing

It is an extra layer applied over or alongside your image, applied using screen printing after your work has been printed. This could be a varnish that is glossy, thickening or rough to the touch; a layer that you can scratch away or write on; or a special ink that glows, changes colour or gives off a scent. The image itself does not change; it simply gains an additional property.

Yes, for print finishing, we work with the material you supply. That is why we have certain requirements for those sheets. The quality of the substrate directly determines the quality of the finish, and uncoated material sometimes requires two print passes, depending on how much ink it absorbs.

The stack must be flat, with no waves at the edges, and ready for an automatic feeding table. The print must be completely dry; you can check this using white spirit. The surface tension must be at least 36 dynes per cm, which can be checked using corona test pens available from us.

Only fully oxidative-drying inks should be used; therefore, no ‘bake-fresh’ or ‘overnight’ inks, as these dry slowly and impair adhesion. The inks must possess all the necessary fastness properties, particularly to spirit and alkali, and comply with DIN 16 524. Anti-smudge powder is strongly discouraged, and metallic inks generally adhere poorly; in such cases, choose a low-VOC type.

Allow for a minimum overhang of 15 mm, excluding the drop, and specify the overhang on the top panel. Please also specify the overlap and what will happen to the work afterwards, so that we can take this into account. When unloading, cut the tension straps immediately; otherwise, the image may smudge.

We work from PDFs, at the size of the layout and therefore at 100 per cent. Colour mode: CMYK, Fogra 39 or ISO Coated V2. Text and images must be in vector format, or otherwise at a minimum of 300 dpi, and fonts must be embedded. Please place the finishing effect itself as a separate layer in 100 per cent spot colour, with the name of the finishing effect included.

We print up to 50 sheets more than the quantity stated on the order form. Please bear this in mind when calculating your print run and the number of test prints you provide. Please also note the registration when printing at high speed: if this is off, it will not be possible to ensure that the finishing perfectly aligns with the image.

With screen-printed stickers, we print the sticker ourselves; this is the layer that goes over the artwork you supply. With doming stickers, a thick, transparent layer is applied over the sticker. ‘Finishing’ is the collective term for the layer itself, regardless of the material underneath.

Allow for a margin on top of your print run, as the first few sheets are lost whilst setting up the press. The exact amount depends on the finish and the print run, so please enquire about this when making your enquiry.

This is advisable when trying out a new combination of substrate and finish. Send us a few sheets from your own print run, and we’ll test them on those so you know what to expect before the whole run goes ahead.